WO2010060167A2

WO2010060167A2 - Portable drums

Info

Publication number: WO2010060167A2
Application number: PCT/BR2009/000384
Authority: WO
Inventors: André Luís GUERRA DO NASCIMENTO
Original assignee: FACULDADES CATÓLICAS, SOCIEDADE CIVIL MANTENEDORA DA PUC Rio
Priority date: 2008-11-25
Filing date: 2009-11-25
Publication date: 2010-06-03
Also published as: WO2010060167A3; BRPI0805206A2

Abstract

The present invention is related to the field of musical instruments, especially percussion instruments. The present invention describes a portable drum kit that allows easy transportation and assembly for the most diverse locations.

Description

Specification for a:

"PORTABLE DRUMS"

Field of the Invention The present invention is related to the field of musical instruments, especially percussion instruments. The present invention describes a portable drum kit that allows easy transportation and assembly for the most diverse locations.

Background to the Invention

The performing drummer certainly uses several drums when playing his instrument, whether practicing or during shows. A normal drum kit is composed of a collection of drums and cymbals. Each piece of the collection is expensive and delicate, requiring very careful assembly, disassembly and transportation of each one of the instruments and their supports. In most cases, specific containers are used for each part of the drum kit.

Therefore, it can easily be seen that a complete kit involving a large number of components makes it impossible for the drummer to transport them on his own and that there is a need for a solution to make this transportation viable.

In consideration of this handicap, the inventors of the present invention describe a drum kit composed of the common elements of drum kits, such as drums, cymbals, clamps, spacers and stands, in order to resolve the problem of the portability of the drum kit, as well as its assembly and disassembly. The present invention was developed with the initial objective of reducing/eliminating two serious problems of the instrument that are a consequence of its size. Generally, more than one person or trip are necessary to transport the instruments, which normally will not fit inside a car. Drummers also suffer with a lack of space to assemble the drum kit, whether at home (small and medium size apartments) or in the work environment (bars, restaurants, etc). There are several documents proposing the resolution of the above mentioned problems.

Document US 6,485,037 describes a small hand truck that contains specific spaces for each one of the components of the drum kit, such as drums, cymbals and pedals, with a quilted lining and wheels to facilitate its transportation. The solution proposed in this document only addresses the problem of locomotion and does not mention the assembly/disassembly of the drum kit.

The present invention differs from this document by not using a hand truck with wheels to store the components, using the internal space of the drums to accommodate the other drums and/or cymbals and providing an innovative method of assembly of the drum kit.

Document US 6,057,499 describes a modified drum that has a removable lid that allows the use of the internal space of the drum to accommodate the other smaller drums, which form part of the drum kit.

The present invention is similar to this patent but provides an innovative method of assembly of the drum kit, fact that is not described in the referred document.

Document US 4,479,414 describes a stand for the assembly of the drum kit based on a central stand and support for 2 bass drums. The other drums and cymbals are fixed to the bass drums or central support.

The present invention diverges from this document by presenting an innovative method of support of the drum kit, which is not dependent of the level of the available surface. Document US 4,240,646 describes a carrier for the storage of the parts of the drum kit, which, when open, changes into a platform for assembly and performance.

The present invention differs from this document by having unique supports, which allow the easy assembly of the drum kit, independent of the platform used by it. Document US 4,593,596 describes a support for drum kit components comprising of clamps and 2 principal stands, where the components are connected to the 2 stands or to other components.

The present invention uses more than 2 stands to support the components, allowing the fixing of the components to several stands and some changes in the method whereby the drum kit is assembled, fact that is not described in the referred document.

Therefore, it can be seen that a portable drum kit that allows its installation in the most diverse surfaces, being transported and assembled/disassembled by one person and using the internal space of the drums to store the other parts, has not been disclosed or even suggested from the documents pertaining to the state of the art.

Summary of the Invention The tripod of a conventional stand represents half of the total weight of the stand and is responsible for the occupation of a large area when a drum kit is assembled. The present invention eliminates these problems, of weight and occupied space, and also offers the possibility of a drum kit being assembled at different levels of height, which is impossible with tripods. In a first embodiment, the present invention provides a portable drum kit that can be easily transported by only one person and can be quickly assembled/disassembled on any type of surface.

An object of the present invention is a portable drum kit comprising of: a) a stand composed of monopods comprising of at least one clamp, which is capable of being connected to a spacer. b) at least one drum adapted to accommodate other equipment in its interior.

In a preferential embodiment, there is also a pedal for use with a bass drum, and there is also a specific case for each item of the drum kit. Description of the Figures Figure 1 displays a possible assembly method of the drum kit of the present invention. The use of monopods allows for the assembly on different levels.

Figure 2 displays an example of a drum adapted to transport additional drums, in just one unit.

Figure 3 displays details of the stands (A), clamps (B) and spacers (C) which allow the positions and distances to be maintained even after disassembly, thereby facilitating re-assembly.

Figure 4 displays a detail of the bass drum pedal operating underneath the bass drum.

Figure 5 shows a musician carrying the entire drum kit on his own and in one go.

Detailed Description of the Invention

The examples described herein are not intended to limit the invention. They have an illustrative character and should be interpreted to encompass all possible methods of carrying out the invention.

The portable drum kit, in accordance with the present invention, comprises of: a) a stand composed of monopods comprising of at least one clamp, which is capable of being connected to a spacer. b) at least one drum adapted to accommodate other equipment in its interior.

The clamps are objects capable of being adapted to parts of the drum kit, such as the drums and the stands, allowing the coupling to the spacers and/or stands and the correct positioning of the equipment.

The clamps are composed of any resistant material such as metal alloys and/or plastic, and can also provide a variety of angles, in a manner that allows the spacers to remain in inclined positions. They can be fixed onto the parts of the equipment or fixtures. The spacers are the parts that make the connections between 2 clamps, thereby providing support and stability to the stand. Similar to the clamps, they are made of any resistant material such as metal alloys and/or plastic and have length adjustment mechanisms such as, for example, telescopic movement, or rather, there are two rods, one being thinner than the other in order that one bar can slide inside the other, thus increasing or decreasing in size the distance between the clamps and, consequently, between the monopod stands. These bars should have a transversal section that will not allow for any type of gyration. The section can be square, rectangular or oblong.

The stands are support elements that connect the equipment with the floor and are monopods. The stands have one or more clamps connected to different spacers.

The drum adapted itself to accommodate equipment in its interior that can be made from several methods known in the state of the art. It can have a removable lid or even be bipartite. Examples of equipments that can be accommodated in its interior are: smaller drums, cymbals and pedals, among others.

The pedals for use with the bass drum are unique, allowing the operation of the bass drum by alternative methods such as, for example, below the drum.

The drum kit additionally comprises specific cases for its transportation. In a preferential embodiment, the cases are divided for the parts of the equipment, which encompasses the stands and the spacers, and for the drums. The drum kit can also have a separate case for the cymbals. Rather, there are 3 cases: one for the cymbals, one for the drums and the final one for the equipment, which includes the monopods.

Preferentially, the drum case is a backpack, capable of better distributing the weight of the equipment.

In a preferential embodiment, the drum kit can be divided into two sections supported by 2 combinations of different monopods. In the first section, the right side has the snare drum, the first torn, hi-hat and crash cymbal. The tripod in this module arises from the connection of a cymbal stand with a snare drum stand and a hi-hat stand, mindful that they are all conventional stands without support tripods. The first torn is suspended from the cymbal stand. In the second section, on the left side, there is the bass drum, the second torn and the ride cymbal. In this case, the tripod is made by the substitution of one of the stands of the bass drum (of which there were 3) with the cymbal stand (monopod) providing, in this way, a 3-legged support (2 bass drum stands and a monopod cymbal stand). The bass drum is connected to the stand by the same part used to support the toms (the torn-holder).

Claims

Claims"PORTABLE DRUMS"

1. Portable drum kit characterized by comprising of: a) a stand composed of monopods comprising of at least one clamp, which is capable of being connected to a spacer. b) at least one drum adapted to accommodate other equipment in its interior.

2. Portable drum kit, in accordance with claim 1 , characterized by the clamp being adapted to the parts of the drum kit and/or the stand and/or fixtures.

3. Portable drum kit, in accordance with claim 2, characterized by the clamp being made of metal alloys and/or plastic.

4. Portable drum kit, in accordance with claim 2, characterized by providing a variety of angles of the position of the spacers.

5. Portable drum kit, in accordance with claim 1 , characterized by the spacers connecting 2 distinct clamps.

6. Portable drum kit, in accordance with claim 2, characterized by having a length adjustment mechanism.

7. Portable drum kit, in accordance with claim 6, characterized by the adjustment mechanism having telescopic movement.

8. Portable drum kit, in accordance with claim 7, characterized by the transversal section being square, rectangular or oblong.

9. Portable drum kit, in accordance with claim 1 , characterized by the monopods having one or more clamps connected to different spacers.

10. Portable drum kit, in accordance with claim 1 , characterized by the drum having a removable lid and/or being bipartite.

1 1. Portable drum kit, in accordance with claim 1 , characterized by the stored equipment being smaller drums, cymbals, pedals and combinations thereof.

12. Portable drum kit, in accordance with claim 1 , characterized by additionally comprising of cases for transportation.

13. Portable drum kit, in accordance with claim 12, characterized by having a case for the monopods, clamps and spacers, and a case for the drums.

14. Portable drum kit, in accordance with claim 13, characterized by having an additional case for the cymbals.